Coronation of the Virgin, very large historiated initial from a Gradual [Italy (Florence), c.1500-20]

cutting, c.280x220mm, vellum (mounted onto a larger piece of vellum), historiated initial 'G' (opening the introit 'Gaudeamus omnes in domino...', opening several feasts of the Virgin Mary), reverse with part of two lines of text and music on four-line red staves, rastrum c.45mm, loss to gold leaf, cut to shape and skilfully laid down onto an album leaf of vellum, c.345x260mm, then illuminated in the upper and right-hand margins in imitation of the original to extend the decoration into the borders, framed

Sold in our rooms, 6 July 2006, lot 22. 

The artist has been identified as ANTONIO DI GIROLAMO (1479-1556), admitted to the illuminator's guild of San Zenobio in 1492, and recorded as working for the Duomo in Florence in the mid-1520s. On the artist see A. Garzelli, Miniatura Fiorentina del Rinascimento, 1985, II, figs.1092-96; D. Galizzi in M. Bollati, ed., Dizionario biografico dei miniatori italiani, 2004, pp.33-4.